Air damper



Aug. 9, 1966 M. D. uLxcH 3,264$43 AIR DAMPER Filed May 6, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGJ.

OUTSIDE AIR WITNESSES |NVENTOR M KM Michael D. Ulich W BY/ZM W ATTORNEY M. D. ULlfiH Aug 9, 1966 AIR DAMPER 5 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Filed May 5, 1965 M. D. ULICH AIR DAMPER Aug, 9, I966 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 6, 1965 ROOM AIR OUTSIDE AIR VENTILATION United States Patent 3,264,843 AIR DAMPER Michael D. Ulich, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Electric (Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., :1 corporation of Pennsylvania Filed May 6, 1965, Ser. No. 453,697 8 Claims. (Cl. 62-262) This invention relates to an exhaust and ventilation air flow control damper suitable mainly for use in connection with room air conditioners.

Most models of conventional room air conditioners 'have some means for introducing, if desired, a small amount of fresh outside air into the room being conditioned or, alternatively if desired, for exhausting some of the room air to the outside. This is usually accomplished by a damper arrangement associated with an opening in the dividing wall between the condenser and evaporator compartments.

This invention is concerned with a damper or cover arrangement for such a wall opening, with the arrangement providing certain structural and operational advantages over some of the known arrangements.

Generally, the arrangement according to a currently preferred embodiment of the invention includes an open- -faced frame defining an opening through which air can flow in either direction depending upon the positions of a pair of covers disposed on opposite faces of the frame and biased toward each other by yieldable means to normally maintain a closed position of both covers. Preferably, the covers are relatively fiat but each is provided with an inwardly-open, hollow, shell-like member secured to the outer face of the cover in a central location thereon. A rocker arm extends into each of these shells and is mounted for pivotal movement on a common rocker shaft. The shaft may be turned in one direction or the opposite direction to move the rocker arms into engagement with one or the alternate set of diagonally opposite surfaces on the inner faces of the shells. Thus the rocker arms tilt the covers in opposite directions about axes where the diagonally-opposite edges of the covers abut the frame. With this arrangement each cover may be pivoted about either of its opposite edges as if it were effectively hinged at each of these edges. In fact, however, the only means securing the covers to the frame is the yieldable means extending generally along the axis of the shells.

While an arrangement according to the invention is operable to carry out its intended purpose in other environments, the environment in which it is currently believed to be most applicable is one in which a selective interchange in air is desirable between uni-directional air flow paths on opposite sides of a wall. In such an environment, when the pair of covers are tilted in one direction off the opening in the wall, the one cover directs air flow through the opening, while the other cover tends, by induction, to promote that air flow. When the covers are tilted to the opposite open position a corresponding direction and induction condition is created.

Another feature of the arrangement according to the invention is that the air flow seal between compartments, when desired, is enhanced bythe double covers. Additionally, the covers may be relatively flat save for the protruding shells, which in turn may be of limited surface area in a direction transverse to the air flow paths and hence offer little obstruction to normal air flow through the compartments when the covers are in closed position.

Further, the construction according to the invention is such that most of the parts may be made of molded plastic which lends itself to large quantity production at a relatively low unit cost. However, such parts in the relationship according to theinvention provide an eminently satisfactory arrangement.

The invention will be further explained in connection with the accompanying drawing in which several currently preferred embodiments of the invention are shown by way of example, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a partly broken top view of a room air conditioner having an arrangement according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a partly broken, exploded, isometric view of an arrangement according to the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a partly broken isometric view of certain parts of FIG. 2 in assembled relation, but with an alternate tension means illustrated;

FIGURE 4 is a top view, enlarged relative to FIG. 1, of the damper covers in a closed position preventing the interchange of air bet-ween the compartments;

FIGURE 5 is a partly broken top view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the damper covers in a position for exhausting room air from the evaporator compartment into the condenser compartment;

FIGURE 6 is a partly broken top view similar to FIG- URES 4 and 5, but showing the damper covers in the opposite position relative to FIG. 5 and in which outside air is directed from the condenser compartment into the evaporator compartment; and

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary view of one alternate shape which the outwardly projecting shells on the damper covers may take.

The room air conditioner construction illustrated in 'FIGURE 1 provides one typical environment in which the invention may advantageously be used, and the description will proceed with the invention related to this environment although, as will be appreciated, its use is not limited accordingly.

As shown in FIGURE 1 the casing generally designated 10 provides a box like wrapper for the interior components, with a partly open inside face 12 presented to the room to be conditioned, and an exterior face 14 partly open to outside air.

A vertically disposed interior wall 16 having a jogged portion as shown divides the interior into one compartment in which the condenser 20 and its fan 22 are located, and another compartment 24 in lWhlCh the evaporator 26 and its fan are located. An opening in the jogged portion of the partition wall is hidden in FIG. 1 by the damper arrangement 30. I

The paths of air flow through both compartments are indicated generally by the directional arrows in FIG. 1. It will be observed that the air flow paths in the vicinity of the damper arrangement 30 are generally parallel and are uni-directional. Before passing to the detailed description of the damper arrangement, it is noted that the damper is controlled by any suitable mean-s such as the sheathed cable 32 movable from the front face of the room air conditioner by means of the control button 34.

-Now turning to FIG. 2, the open face frame 36 is adapted to be mounted in the sized opening in the wall 16 with the offset anchoring tab 38 at the top of the frame against one face of the wall and the substantially continuous border 40 against the opposite face of the wall. The holes in the lower border of the frame receive suitable fastening members to secure the frame in the wall opening.

The opposite faces of the frame 36 are provided with peripheral rims 42 and 44 which border the opening defined by the frame. The rims receive, in encompassing fashion, the respective covers. The arrangement also includes a screen 46 which is fitted into the framed opening, and a rocker arm assembly which includes a pair of oppositely-directed rocker arms 48 and 50 mounted on a common shaft 52 for limited angular movement therewith upon corresponding angular movement of the operating arm 54 in one direction or another. The top end of the shaft carries a boss 56 which serves as an anchor for a tension member to be later described.

The rocker arm assembly fits in the frame 36 with the operating arm 54 projecting through the hollow, slotted housing 58 molded into the lower border of the frame 36. Another slot 60 in the rim 44 and the lower border of the frame receives the shaft 52 so that the shaft lies generally in the plane of the opening. Thus, in assembled condition the rocker arm shaft 52 is upright and substantially centered.

Since the opposite covers are identical except for their mirror relation to each other, both are designated 62, and corresponding parts are identified by the same numeral. They are located, as shown, on opposite faces of the frame 36. Each cover is generally flat but provided with a shoulder 64 extending around the inner face of the cover in inset relation from the outer edge of the cover, and has an inwardly-projecting abutment 66 at four corners of the shoulder. The outer face of the covers carry inwardly-open, hollow, generally tapered shells 68. The covers on the opposite faces of the frame are as noted, essentially the same except for having parts arranged in mirror relation to each other, and are held in mirror fashion by yieldable means now to be described.

One form of yieldable means or tension member may be a molded elastic or rubber tension band 70 with enlarged ends 72, and a center hole to fit on the anchor 56. The band is stretched in opposite directions from the center, overlying the rocker arms 48 and 50, through the hollow central parts of the shells 68 and out through the openings 74 at the apexes of the shells. The enlarged ends 72 bear against these outer ends of the shells to yieldably urge the covers 62 toward closed positions.

The general relationship of parts in their assembled form is perhaps best perceived from FIG. 3 which also shows an alternate tension member arrangement. There shaped wire tension springs 76 are used instead of the elastic member 70 of FIG. 2. The center bight portion of the spring is looped over the anchor 56 and with the ends of the retroverted portions bearing against the outer faces of the covers 62 to also yieldably urge the covers toward closed positions.

Turning now to the positions the covers 62 may be moved to, in FIG. 4 the covers are shown in their closed positions fitting tightly against both faces of the frame 36. In this closed position, the rocker arms 48 and 50, and the operating arm 54, are all in a centered position.

In FIGURE 5 the covers 62 are shown in a position to exhaust room air as shown by the directional arrows and the legends. There both covers have been tilted or pivoted in a clockwise direction, as viewed from the top, and about their diagonally-opposite edges. To effect this movement control cable 32 is pulled to the left to cause rocker arms 48 and 50 to bear against the diagonallyopposite inner faces of the triangular shells 68. As will be apparent from this view the shoulders 64 and abutments 66 engage against the respective peripheral rims 42 and 44 of the main frame 36 so that the forces exerted by the rocker arms, coupled with the forces exerted by the tension member 70, results in the rocking movement of the covers 62 to the open exhaust positions shown.

In FIGURE 6 the covers 62 are shown in an open ventilating position. The cable 32 has been moved to the right sufficiently to effect the counterclockwise tilting movement of the covers about the alternate diagonallyopposite edges. The rocker arms 48 and 50 bear against the alternate set of diagonally-opposite inner faces of the shells 68. The movement of this position is of course effected in generally the same way as the movement described in connection with FIG. 5 except for the change in direction. The shoulders 64 and abutments 66 of the opposite edges (with respect to FIG. 5) of the covers bear against the respective sides of the peripheral rims 42 and 44 to provide the pivot points. Upon moving the actuating arm back to a neutral position, the tension means draws the covers back into their closed positions against the opposite faces of the frame.

FIGS. 5 and 6 also show, to a degree, that when the covers are in their open positions that the covers tend to promote air flow in the desired direction, by forming a mouth on one side, and a flow inducing pressure condition adjacent the opened edge of the other cover on the other side. It may be appreciated from FIGURE 4, where both covers are shown closed, that the substantially flat covers having only the relatively thin shells projecting out into the paths of air flow, avoid undue obstruction of the air How.

The presently preferred construction includes the triangular shape of the shells 68 to permit the cover movement to begin upon slight rocking of the arms 48 and 50, while still exerting a tilting force throughout a fairly wide range of cover movement. However, in one alternate form for example, the lower slope of the triangular shell may be changed to be normal to the plane of the cover. This arrangement would provide a limit stop for the rocker arm as shown in FIGURE 7. Of course, the limit stop may be provided in other ways as well and in fact in the currently preferred arrangement is simply provided by the ends of the slot in which the operating arm 54 is situated.

I claim:

1. A damper and air flow control arrangement for the selective interchange of air between generally parallel, uni-directional air flow paths along opposite faces of a wall containing an opening through which said interchange takes place, comprising:

an open-face frame mounted in said opening, said frame including flange means bordering the framed opening on each face of said frame;

a pair of covers disposed in mirror relation against opposite faces of said frame and including shoulder means on their inner faces abutting said flange means;

each cover including an extended-surface area portion and an inwardly-open, outwardly-projecting hollow, shell thereon having an axis normal to said frame;

means yieldably urging said covers against said frame;

and

cover operating means including a rocker arm, extending outwardly from a pivotally mounted shaft carried by said frame between said covers, and into each shell for selective engagement against one or the opposite inner face of said shell to effect rocking of said covers along diagonally-opposite edges of said covers parallel to said shaft to open said covers.

2. A damper and air flow control arrangement for the selective interchange of air between generally parallel, uni-directional air flow paths along opposite faces of a wall containing an opening through which said interchange takes place, comprising:

a pair of covers disposed in mirror relation against opposite faces of said wall and over said opening;

each cover including an extended surface area portion and an inwardly-open, outwardly-projecting, hollow shell thereon having an axis normal to the plane of said wall opening;

means yieldably urging said covers toward each other along said axis;

and means for moving said covers from closed positions against said opening to either of alternate open positions, said operating means including a pair of oppositely-directed rocker arms, one extending into each of said shells, both said arms being carried by a common shaft for pivotal movement thereabout, said rocker arms being disposed to selectively bear against diagonally-opposite inner faces of said shells to effect pivotal movement of said covers about diagonally-opposite edges of said covers with the alternate diagnoally-opposite edges of the respective covers pivoting away in opposite directions from said wall opening.

3. A room air conditioner including:

a casing enclosing a condenser compartment and an evaporator compartment separated by a wall having an opening therein;

means for circulating air into and out of each of said compartments along paths passing generally parallel to and adjacent the plane of said wall opening;

a pair of covers disposed in mirror relation on opposite faces of said wall opening;

each cover including a substantially flat, extendedsurface area and an inwardly-open, outwardly-projecting, hollow shell having an isosceles triangle shape centrally disposed on said extended-surface area, and having axes normal to the plane of said wall opening;

means yieldably urging said covers toward each other along said axes of said shells; and

cover operating means including a pair of oppositelydirected arms, one arm extending into each of said shells, said arms being carried by a rocker shaft lying generally in the plane of said opening, and pivotally mounted for moving the ends of said arms into engagement with diagonally-opposite internal faces of said shells to rock said opposite covers along diagonally-opposite edges extending parallel to said shaft.

4. The air conditioner specified in claim 3 wherein:

said means yieldably urging said covers toward each other includes elastic tension means normally extending along said axes of said shells.

5. The air conditioner specified in claim 3 wherein:

said means yieldably urging said covers toward each other includes wire spring means having a fixed portion secured in the plane of said wall opening, and yieldable portions urging said covers toward said Wall opening.

6. The air conditioner specified in claim 3 including:

means at said rocking edges of said covers and said wall opening for maintaining registry of said covers and said opening during rocking movement of said covers about said edges.

7. The air conditioner specified in claim 6 including:

said abutting means include shoulder means on said covers and peripheral flange means on the border of said wall opening.

8. The air conditioner specified in claim 6 including:

a screen extending across said opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,711,087 6/1955 Jennings 62-427 2,806,361 9/1957 Kline 62427 2,999,370 9/1961 Eberhart 62-262 3,022,647 2/1962 Mullin 62262 3,152,456 10/1964 Prendegast 62-262 WILLIAM J. WYE, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DAMPER AND AIR FLOW CONTROL ARRANGEMENT FOR THE SELECTIVE INTERCHANGE OF AIR BETWEEN GENERALLY PARALLEL, UNI-DIRECTIONAL AIR FLOW PARTS ALONG OPPOSITE FACES OF A WALL CONTAINING AN OPENING THROUGH WHICH SAID INTERCHANGE TAKES PLACE, COMPRISING: AN OPEN-FACE FRAME MOUNTED IN SAID OPENING, SAID FRAME INCLUDING FLANGE MEANS BORDERING THE FRAMED OPENING ON EACH FACE OF SAID FRAME; A PAIR OF COVERS DISPOSED IN MIRROR RELATION AGAINST OPPOSITE FACES OF SAID FRAME AND INCLUDING SHOULDER MEANS ON THEIR INNER FACES ABUTTING SAID FLANGE MEANS; EACH COVER INCLUDING AN EXTENDED-SURFACE AREA PORTION AND AN INWARLY-OPEN, OUTWARDLY-PROJECTING HOLLOW, SHELL THEREON HAVING AN AXIS NORMAL TO SAID FRAME; 